Sleepless in Shanghai

Posted on December 21, 2012

Photo shoot at dawn on The Bund for Soohee Moon

I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced anything quite so fast paced as Shanghai. Driving into the city felt dangerous and exciting with cars coming at us from every direction as grid after grid of apartment blocks flew past. Surprisingly green, the city seemed to be a sea of newness; everything was going up, all at once, while nothing was coming down.

Our schedule was packed full with shoots, campus visits, model castings, walk throughs, fashion shows and dinners. Even the quiet misty early morning photo shoots quickly became populated by kite fliers, tai chi masters and curious people in pyjamas.
Travelling with a selection of fashion students from Otago Polytechnic, my role was to photograph each of their collections in various locations over two days. The embellished uniqueness of each location enabled us to experience the city in a way which seemed to encompass so many different sights, smells and sounds- which didn’t necessarily feel touristy.

I love to make the most of anywhere I go, so every spare second was filled with haggling at the markets or wandering the neighbourhood for weird and wonderful things. On one particular day I stepped out in my running gear into hot rain and ran until I was truly sure I was lost forever- or at least about half an hour or so.

I made some great new friends and had the best street corner dumplings I’ve ever tasted.

Shanghai was vibrant and enveloping; a whirlwind adventure that went by far too fast… it really is difficult to put into words, so here’s some images of people and places.